Diver Down has been developed and tested under many variations
of the verge engine, but in a nutshell: it was started in v1, developed
in v2, and released in winv2 (as well as v2). It is fully supported
under DOS, Win9x, Win2k, and WinXP.

The verge2 engine is not just an rpg kit where values, art, and
text need to be plugged in. As opposed to v1, v2 requires the developer
to program all the game functions in a native C-like scripting language.
Basically the engine serves as a powerful starting point complete
with a tile engine, map editor, game engine, and an interface for
controlling the sprites and other variables. From there the developer
is free to do as he wishes, whether it be creating an rpg or a side-scroller.
The basic buzz is that you can create any Genesis or SNES game with
it but it requires decent programming knowledge.

The Custom Engine

My original
idea for the PURGE kit was to create a VC library that would retain
the power of v2 and restore the ease-of-use of v1. While I feel
I accomplished this I decided not to release the kit because it
would detract from the originality of my game. Also, there is little
demand for and less actual productivity from custom verge libraries.

Still, the source and documentation of almost 100 functions is
packaged with the game. There are basic graphics routines to blit
and animate to 5 different layers onscreen. The management system
provides support for the party, inventory, skills, menus, shops,
and more. There are more control features for better entity support
and custom music/map commands. And the battle system has been painstakingly
worked on to provide a true dynamic experience.

Story
The original, non-traditional story of Diver Down will draw you into the
dark. The inward struggle of one man and the mystery of his circumstances
are the underlying themes throughout. There is great emphasis on character
development and motive. Nothing is ever certain until the end as plot
twists keep you one step behind the game.

You take the role of Drek, a knight who wakes up in a dungeon without
his memory. To further aggravate the situation, you are immediately assaulted
by a high-tech trooper who blames you for the death of his unit. Although
your surroundings are strange and you don't fully comprehend the stakes
of what you are tied to, there is a vague familiarity of the situation
that worries you. What terrors lie in the minds of men?

"Welcome to Minduul, a land long forsaken by its gods. A vast trove
full of magicks unlike any ever encountered. A rich home for the fresh
races that are born into it, and a cursed stage for the elder races to
play out their final moments of life."

Setting

The world for Diver Down is set in Minduul, a rich pure fantasy setting.
It is very much a medieval environment with castles and armies but there
are technologies (specifically magic-based) that are unfamiliar to us.
Minduul is a land far from the dark ages, but with magic as such a driving
force of life the physical sciences were never as developed. There are
two known continents and the story takes place in the Southern Region.
The Kindred Wars rip across the entire continent providing a great backdrop
to (not focus of) the main story.

Races

While there are stories of old gods and the Blessed races who lived
under them, today's world is much more mundane. The new 'common' races
are the humans, elves, and yithpin. Yithpin are considered true elves
and are much shorter and thinner than humans. They are very social amongst
their kind but sometimes look down on the elves. Elves are only slightly
shorter and thinner than humans and can easily pass for them. There are
not many other large differences between the races as many cultures exist
between them, whether shared or not.

Magic

Magic is part of the very essence of the world - it breeds through life.
All races have in them the inherent ability to manipulate the various
energies of Minduul, but only those who practice at it can use this skill.
The humans can harness the basic energy of life and the world; the elves
can manipulate nature and animals; the yithpin rather focus in clans of
the elements, having an innate connection with the forces of the land.

These skills are very much a subjective art. It is not known exactly
what can and can't be done. Manipulation is often a practice of trial
and error. The discoveries of the arcane sciences are some of the most
complex fields of knowledge that exist.